A Four-month-old baby died after receiving a pneumonia and meningitis vaccine in east China's Shandong Province, an official with the local health bureau said yesterday.

The baby was vaccinated against Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) on October 19 at the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Liaocheng City.

"His mouth turned blue and his face turned pale several minutes after we left the hospital," said the baby's father, Yu Jingkuan. "He also had diarrhea. Then, that afternoon, the baby looked normal."

However, Yu said his child suffered the same symptoms the next day.

"Doctors suggested the infant be transferred to another hospital for treatment, but my child died on the way," he said.

The vaccine was produced by Wosen Biotechnology Co in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. The company has sent staff to Liaocheng to investigate the death.

In the meantime, Liaocheng's health bureau ordered all hospitals in the city to suspend use of the vaccines.

Hib is a bacteria that causes meningitis and pneumonia.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2008)